Monday, 23 March 2015

According to statistics, every other day for the past 10 years, a gas leak in the U.S. has been directly responsible for property damage, injury, or death. When it comes to leaking gas, your nose usually knows trouble before the rest of you catches on. If you smell the faintest hint of gas, responding quickly can help prevent a potentially disastrous outcome.

The pungent odor of rotten eggs in the air is usually the most commonindicatorof a natural gas leak. Another sign is the hissing or whistling sound of gas escaping. If you encounter such an overpowering smell, or hear a suspicious sound, proceed with the following actions:

Do not turn on light switches
Do not turn electrical switches on or off
Do not light matches
Do not smoke

If the smell of gas is light enough that you can breathe easily and you do not hear a distinct sound of escaping gas, then proceed with opening doors and windows to disperse the gas and reduce its potentially dangerous buildup.

This step is for only those who know exactly how to safely turn the gas supply off at the meter box. If you are unaware how to do this, disregard this action and get you and others out of the immediate vicinity.

Once you have evacuated the premises, call emergency services. Never call from the location where the gas leak is suspected. If you do not have a cell phone, go to neighbor’s home, or nearby business to call for help from there.

Relying on your senses and quickly acting on your instincts can be the difference maker indiffusing and ultimately preventing a potentially life-threatening situation.

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

There is a saying that fortune favors the prepared mind. When dealing with a plumbing emergency, being prepared may not only help you salvage property, but save your sanity at the same time. Here are 3 possible plumbing mishaps with quick tips to overcome them.

Overflowing Toilet

Nothing is scarier than that moment after you flush the toilet and watch in horror as the water continues to rise to the bowl’s edge and does not stop. In most cases, the water will actually stop before it overflows, but in situations where your commode suddenly becomes a microcosm of Niagara Falls, immediately turn off the water. You can turn it off in one of two ways:

Use the shutoff valve attached to the tank by the water supply tube, or

Reach into the tank and lift the float on the fill valve

Once the water flow ceases, use a plunger to unclog the toilet.

Broken or Leaky Pipe

There is one thing to do in this situation and that is to turn off your home’s main shutoff valve, which is usually located next to your water meter. If not there, it should be near the area where the main water line comes into your house. Keep it turned off until you are able to acquire the assistance of a plumbing professional.

Scalding Hot Water

Ironic as it sounds, this a clear indicator that your hot water heater has over-heated. You should do the following in this situation:

Turn off water heater from circuit breaker box

Turn on all hot water faucets to relieve water heater

Let the water run until it turns cold

Turn off faucets and call a plumbing service

Plumbing emergencies are no fun by any means, but they do happen. Knowing where shutoff valves and electrical units are located in your home will help you to act fast before a tremendous amount of damage is done.

Monday, 2 March 2015

Your water heater is what allows you to enjoy a hot shower and extra clean clothes and dishes. It’s an essential in any house and you may not realize its importance until it starts to malfunction or stops working all together. If you are ready to upgrade your exiting heater or need to replace it as soon as possible, it pays to know what your options are.

Types of Heaters:

There are several types of water heaters:

Conventional heaterskeep water constantly heated in a reservoir

Tankless heatersheat water on demand with a gas or electric element

Hybrid heatersuse both an electric heat element and a heat-extracting pump

Solar heatersuse the power of the sun to heat your water

Pros and Cons:

Each type of water heater has its own pros and cons. Conventional heaters are the most common and usually require the smallest up-front investment, but are generally not as efficient as some of the other types. A tankless heater is more efficient but is also more expensive to buy and install. It may also be limited in the amount of water it can heat if used in a large household. Hybrid heaters can be noisy and require a great amount of space, but can also be highly efficient. Solar heaters are by far the most environmentally friendly, but it can take many years of use for them to pay off in terms of savings due to the cost of investment.